In this week's episode, we talk to Jennifer Wilks about her new book, Carmen in Diaspora: Adaptation, Race, and Opera’s Most Famous Character. She discusses the many adaptations of the opera Carmen, from the Harlem Renaissance to modern-day Beyoncé.

Jennifer will be giving an in-person talk about the book on the 150th anniversary of Carmen on Monday, March 3, 2025, in the Gordon-White Building (GWB 2.206) at 2:30 PM.

Dr. Wilks is an Associate Professor of English, African & African Diaspora Studies, and Comparative Literature. She is also the director of the John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies.

UT students and staff can access the book for free here:
https://academic.oup.com/book/58660

The book can be purchased here:
https://global.oup.com/academic/produ...

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Sam Lipman to discuss the world premiere of his Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra, set to be performed next week by the Austin Symphony. Sam shares insights into his collaboration with legendary trumpet player Ephraim Owens, whose unique musical voice seamlessly blends blues, bebop, and classical traditions in a way that transcends categorization. The concerto serves as both a celebration of Ephraim’s extraordinary artistry and a heartfelt homage to Austin’s vibrant and diverse musical culture.

In this episode, we talk to opera singer Sophio Dzidziguri, who won the Butler School of Music concerto competition and will perform with Butler's Symphony Orchestra on April 26, 2025, at 7:30 PM in Bates Hall.

In this podcast episode, we sit down with oboist Andrew Parker to discuss his new album, From the Sea to the Stars. We also explore his teaching philosophy and his upcoming performance in China.

In this episode, saxophonist and professor Stephen Page talks about his upcoming performance of John Corigliano's Triathlon. Stephen discusses the three different saxophones he will use in the concert, as well as some of the challenges and interesting aspects of the piece.

In this episode, Maestro Jerry Junkin discusses the Wind Ensemble’s upcoming concert at the Long Center on January 25, featuring John Corigliano’s masterpiece, Symphony No. 3: Circus Maximus. He also reflects on commissioning Circus Maximus more than 20 years ago and shares his original notes from John Corigliano about the piece.

Undergraduate student Vaishnavee Sundararaman shares her journey from growing up playing Indian classical music to exploring a variety of roles at the Butler School of Music.

In this episode, Nathan Cutietta sits down with Ph.D. student Hannah Neuhauser to discuss the music of Hanukkah.